A Simple Friday Night
by Stefan-sama
Summary: Oneshot, NickxMaya. Phoenix had made it practically a tradition to rent and watch movies on Fridays with Maya, Pearl, Trucy, and Apollo. Unfortunately, the new Silver Samurai movie is airing tonight, and he's in for a heck of an approximately 1 hr:32 min.


**This is something I'm putting out on a lark, the idea just came to me. Regardless, I like this one a lot, because of the simple premise and convoluted plot (which, of course, means it involves Maya). Anyway, I also like the mini Samurai story I threw in there, too. Veil is an anagram of "Evil", by the way. On the other hand, I couldn't resist and went and made Apollo more of a comic relief character again, so he might be slightly (okay, possible really) OOC. But maybe you'll tell me that in a review? Well, in any case, enjoy!**

**A Simple Friday Night**

I leaned back on the couch, relaxed. A new case hadn't revealed itself for a month, and that was fine by me, as it alleviated the stresses on both Apollo and me. Diego had dropped by the other day and given me a pack of his newest coffee blend, so I was enjoying that, while Trucy, Pearl, and Maya were enjoying the latest Silver Samurai movie. Apparently, as Maya had tried to explain (which, according to her, was far too difficult to do with old people), it is "the tragic story of a young man's quest to win his true love's heart by ridding the land of evil robot teddy bears and handing out potato chips to the needy as he learns the true meanings of Love, Friendship, and Money along the way".

So, as Apollo had put it, it was a normal Friday, or as normal as normal could be with us.

Or so I had hoped, as normal and us were contradictory by nature when applied in the same sentence.

Thankfully, my hopes had not been let down so far, and it was already two o'clock (and twenty-three minutes, thirty-nine seconds, as Trucy insisted) in the afternoon. Maya had devoured an entire tub of rocky road ice cream (it was an economy brand, so it was positively gigantic) just a few minutes earlier, as well as the same to a new cereal box (she denied that it was for the plastic Klavier Gavin figure resting at the bottom), but aside from that, it was, indeed, a normal day.

Pearls sauntered over, energized by the commercial break, and rested her finished green plastic bowl of popcorn on the kitchen counter like any ordinary, civilized person would do, though I have yet to see one of those. By now she was taller than the counter, so her insists of helping out with cooking and dishes and the like were not so awkward to refuse. "Mr. Nick," she said happily. "Do you want to watch the rest of the film with us?"

I smiled to myself down at her. Foreseeing a very bloody nose in the immediate future should I refuse, I had no choice but to nod and follow her back to the television screen, sitting down next to Maya and behind Trucy, who was sitting on the floor so to be in a better position to reach for the snacks. Maya managed a quick nod in my general direction to acknowledge me, then quickly turned her head back to the screen just in time to see the Silver Samurai logo flash and give way to the ensuing battle.

"Stay back, Sakura!" a kimono-clad warrior yelled through the speakers, thrusting his spear into the ground for dramatic emphasis, a move which shook the ground both inside and outside the set. "This villainous cur is a dangerous foe indeed. But fear not, for I forsooth swear to protect you, until my dying breath!" The girl hugged him from behind, crying and wishing that he survive the fight as the villain muttered some unintelligible nonsense through his glowing red mask. The Samurai turned and planted a kiss on her cheek (Pearls swooned, whispering something about "Mr. Nick and Mystic Maya") before rushing toward the bad guy and brandishing his lance, twirling it rapidly with one clawed hand as the other reached for the villain's neck, shouting "For Japan, and Pudding!!", inciting a loud cheer in unison from both Trucy and Apollo, though the latter blushed and instantly busied himself with the carrot sticks lying in front of him.

Honestly, I couldn't care less about the film, though Maya was chewing chocolate chip cookies at lightspeed in excitement, cramming one after another into her mouth like a machine, swallowing after maybe half a chew, and repeating in a seemingly ad infinitum process, spewing crumbs all over the sofa as she did so.

As Maya gasped and Apollo swore in outrage, the broadcasters decided to air a few more commercials, telling us and supposedly millions of other middle-class Americans to "stay tuned" in an amazingly smarmy voice. Pearls and Trucy took the opportunity to get up and stretch, while Apollo and Maya got close to the screen and began tearing up in disbelief and agony. I myself walked briskly back to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of chilled grape juice and a glass of water for the aforementioned cryers to ease the spasms.

"So, Nick," Maya said after she had calmed herself (if that was possible). "What do you think so far?"

"Hm?" I looked up from the nutrition label on my juice, which indicated that the stuff I was about to drink was complete and utter trash. "Oh, the movie. Um... Well, the story is certainly... Interesting... But, I know that it's Cody's first main role in a big movie, but I can't help think that his action scenes leave something to be desired compared to, say, WP's films."

"I know, I know, right?!" Maya replied, ecstatic to have someone who shared her love (well, in my case, experience) of the Samurai shows. "You totally hit the nail right on the head! I just can't wait to see Kiddy-o's next roles, it's going to be so much fun to watch him grow--"

Her sermon was cut off (thank heaven almighty) by a yell, that of the Silver Samurai, as he thrust his spear straight at the villain's stomach, though it was easily brushed aside by some sort of magic spell that called a veritable armada of armadillos flying out of nowhere. The Samurai skidded back, his bloody arm dangling uselessly at his side, clutched by the other. "The tyranny of Darkness shall never triumph over the Light, Veil! Never!!" Veil laughed, pointed at his arm, smirked, then muttered more unintelligible nonsense. He then proceeded to use a "maelstrom force" ability, which "combo-chained" into a rotation, which meant a "critical" "level nine thunderbolt XXXXX", which ended in a "one-hit-KO" (lexicon courtesy of Maya and her Silver Samurai trading cards).

The Samurai crumpled, his body smoking and collapsing in the dust, inciting cries from Sakura, Maya, Pearls, Trucy, and Apollo, though only the former was actually able to run toward him, cradling his lifeless body in her arms and sobbing, whispering his name repeatedly in his ear in a vain attempt to revive him. Silence reigned supreme, the only sound coming from the sobs of Sakura and Veil's far-off, maniacal laughter as he ascended toward an ominous mass of dark energies.

The camera zoomed in, slow-motion, onto a single teardrop, which spiraled and twisted down to land directly on the Samurai's heart. He began glowing plaid and his eyes suddenly opened, Sakura crying anew in relief. As he got up, his armor fell away to reveal a boy who I knew to be Cody Hackins, though Maya insisted on calling him Soma Aimaru while onscreen.

"S- Soma..." Sakura whispered.

"Yes, it's me," Soma replied, gazing sadly away. "I'm... Sorry... That such a great hero... Was really a loser like me..."

"No, it's not like that. Yes, I loved the Samurai... But, I love you much, much more, as I have, do, and always will." She grasped his cheeks, tilting her head to the side and standing up as high as she could. Their lips met, and a bright light instantly enveloped the land, burning Veil to ashes and restoring life to all of the trees, animals, and people that the madman had killed in his path of greed.

"It's finally over... Let's go home, Soma."

The screen cut to black as the credits began rolling. Apparently, WP had played Veil, and Sal and Penny were also both involved in the making of the film, though Pearls and Trucy were sniffing and wiping away their tears, smiling, and Maya and Apollo were hugging each other and bawling like milk-deprived babies, so I was the only one that could be bothered to "RTFC".

After the waterworks had stopped, which took about as long as it did for Shenmue 3 to come out, Trucy and Pearls dispersed to play video games, while Apollo went upstairs to study some old law tomes, leaving me and Maya alone. "Wasn't that just the most beautiful thing you've ever seen, Nick?" she asked, her eyes still glistening.

I smirked. "Sure, whatever. Now, let's watch something with some actual substance!" I rummaged around in an old cabinet until I pulled out a dusty case triumphantly. "Great Painters of the Rennaissance! It's been forever since we've watched this!"

Maya threw her head back in mock distress, resting the back of her hand to her forehead. "Aw, Nick, do we really have to? This is so boring!"

I sat back down and put my arm back around her. "Deal with it. This is interesting to sophisticated people."

She puffed up her cheeks. "Well, aren't you just the nicest person ever!"

"You don't even know what 'sophisticated' means."

"So what?"

"So you should watch this."

"I hate you."

"I love you, too."

She snuggled up against me as the MGM lion roared. "You always know exactly what to say, don't you?"


End file.
